He got mauled in the National Championship game against Alabama. The dead girlfriend hoax story later that month brought up all sorts of character questions. And he ran a slow 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine.

But at his Notre Dame Pro Day — where he again worked out for scouts — he ran a faster 40 and everyone stopped panicking about his speed. An ESPN commentator even said the 0.1-seconds faster 40 time saved his stock from falling two entire rounds.